OLGA PÄRN

Born on January 1, 1976 in Minsk (Byelorussia).
Olga Marchenko (maiden name)

Graduated from the Minsk Lyceum of Art in 1994.
Graduated from the graphic arts department (specialising in intaglio) at the Byelorussian Academy of Art in 2000.
Worked as an art director and animator (specialising in sand animation) in the animation department at Belarusfilm Studio in 1996-2003.
Completed a course in film directing at the La Poudriere animation school in France from 2003 to 2005. Subsequently worked for half a year in Paris as a storyboard artist.
Lives and works in Estonia since 2006. Here she has made six animated films together with Priit Pärn at Eesti Joonisfilm Studio. She was the co-director and co-art director for both films.

Art Director for the following films

1996     FOREST FAIRY TALES, 15 min, dir. Elena Petkevitch, sand animation technique. Belarusfilm Studio.

1997     LITTLE GOLDEN LEAF episode of the Moscow animation project, 2 min., dir. V. Petkevitch, sand animation technique.

1998     OWL 10 min, dir. V. Petkevitch, cel animation film. Belarusfilm.

2000     HOW THE TORTOISE WON RESPECT 13 min, dir. V. Petkevitch. Painted animation. Man & Time Animation Studio in Moscow.  Co-production with Great Britain and North Africa.

2001     THE ELEPHANT AND 4 BLIND PERSONS 6 min, dir. V. Petkevitch. Sand animation technique. Nikita Studio in France.

2005     BEETHOVEN EPISODE OF THE STORIES OF THE OLD PIANO animated television serial, 13 min, cut-out puppet technique, dir. V. Petkevitch. MIR Animation Studio in Moscow.

2006     THE MAGIC SHOP, 10 min, dir. Elena Petkevitch. Cut-out puppet technique. Belarusfilm

Art Director and Animator for the following films

2002 – 2003      LITTLE SONG FOR A CANARY, 10 min, dir. Elena Petkevitch. Animated film. Belarusfilm.

2005     Opening title sequence for the STORIES OF THE OLD PIANO animated television serial, 1 min, sand animation technique.

Filmography

2004     WILLIAM, MIGUEL AND LITTLE BOB, 1 min, animated film, La Poudriere

2004     A CAT IS A CAT, 1 min, painted animation, La Poudriere

2005     THE DREAMER, 4 min 23 sec, painted animation, La Poudriere

2007 I FEEL A LIFELONG BULLET IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD (co-director Priit Pärn / 2 min / 35 mm / a short story from the animated film BLACK CEILING)

  • Estonian Cultural Endowment award for best film of the year
  • Golden Dinosaur Award from the Cracow Film Festival for outstanding artistic and educational work, Poland 2007
  • Zagreb Film Festival Lifetime Achievement Award, Croatia 2008

2008     LIFE WITHOUT GABRIELLA FERRI (co-director Priit Pärn / 44 min)

  • Grand Prix from the 12th Holland International Animated Film Festival, Utrecht, Holland 2008
  • Grand Prix and the Anoba nomination for the Best Animated Film in the Baltic and Nordic countries from the Animated Dreams Animated Film Festival, Estonia 2008
  • Scottish Leader Estonian Film Award, Black Nights Film Festival 2008, Estonia 2008
  • Estonian Cultural Endowment’s  award for Best Animation, 2008
  • Jury Special Mention, Animafest, Croatia 2009
  • ANOBA prize, 2009
  • Grand Prix, I Castelli Animati , Italia, 2009
  • Jury Special Prize, MONSTRA IAFF, Portugal 2011

2010     DIVERS IN THE RAIN (co-director Priit Pärn / 23 min)

  • Silver Jabberwocky prize from the 16th Etiuda&Anima Film Festival, Poland 2009
  • Don Quixote – International Federation of Film Societies Award from the16th Etiuda&Anima Film Festival, Poland 2009
  • Grand Prix from Anima, the International Animation Film Festival of Brussels, Belgium 2010
  • Grand Prix from the MONSTRA – Lisbon Animation Film Festival, Portugal 2010
  • Best Sound Track award from the MONSTRA – Lisbon Animation Film Festival, Portugal 2010
  • Grand Prix from the World Festival of Animated Film Animafest Zagreb, Croatia 2010
  • Hiroshima Prize from the Hiroshima International Animation Festival, Japan 2010
  • Best Story from Fantoche International Animation Festival, September 2010
  • Best Sound from Fantoche International Animation Festival, September 2010
  • Best Short Film award Silver Wolf from Festival du Nouveaux Cinema, Canada 2010
  • Grand Prix from International Animation Festival Tofuzi, Georgia 2010
  • Best Nordic and Baltic Short Film award from the Fredrikstad Animation Festival, Norway 2010
  • Prize for the Best Medium Length Film from the International Animated Film Festival CINANIMA, Portugal 2010
  • Award for the Best Story from the Animated Dreams, Estonia 2010
  • Grand Prix from International Animation Festival Anifest, Czech Republic 2011
  • Best International Short Film from International Animation Festival Anifilm, Czech Republic 2011
  • Special Distinction for the Best Direction from International Animation Festival Animanima, Serbia 2011
  • Grand Prix from International Animation Festival Krok, Ukraine 2011

2014     PILOTS ON THE WAY HOME (co-director Priit Pärn / 16 min)

  • Best Sound Design award from International Animation Festival Animage, Brazil 2014
  • Grand Prix from Fredrikstad Animation Festival, Norway 2014
  • Best Sound Design award from animated films festival Animated Dreams, Estonia 2014
  • Estonian Cultural Endowment award for best film of the year 2014
  • „Silver Pegasus“ award from International Animated Films Festival Animator, Poland 2015
  • Jury Special Prize from International Animation Festival Krok, Ukraine 2015
  • Estonian State Culture Award of the year 2014

2016     THE EYELESS HUNTER. A KHANTY STORY (co-director Priit Pärn / 4 min)

2017    SUMMER – Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons Animation (co-director Priit Pärn / 11 min)

2021 Animakom Award from Bilbao International Animation Community Festival, Spain